Douglas Schmiesing

August 2, 2014

WALNUT GROVE - Services for Douglas Schmiesing, 58, of Walnut Grove, will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Milroy. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Monday at the Almlie-Horvath Funeral Home in Tracy, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. A luncheon will be served immediately following the service. Burial is in the Johnsonville Lutheran Cemetery, rural Lucan, and will take place after the luncheon. The Almlie-Horvath Funeral Service of Tracy is caring for the family.

Douglas Paul Schmiesing was born Aug. 17, 1955, to Russell and Fern (Renneke) Schmiesing at Redwood Falls Hospital, Redwood Falls, Redwood County. He was baptized and confirmed in the Johnsonville Lutheran Church near Lucan. As a young child, he lived in Johnsonville township until 1964 when the family moved to a farm near Walnut Grove. Doug attended Lucan and Walnut Grove public schools, graduating from Walnut Grove High School in 1973. He went to Granite Falls Technical School for auto body for a year before returning to farm with his father in 1974.

On Nov. 27, 1981, Doug was united in marriage to Nancy (Trost) Schmiesing and lived on a farm south of Milroy. From this union, two wonderful children were born, Dane and Sonia. In 1992, when his parents moved to Tracy, Doug moved to his parent's farm and took over the farming operation along with the Dekalb Seed business. Over the years, Doug continued to farm, sell seed, and drive truck for Eickhoff Enterprises Inc of Marshall. He was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Milroy.

While growing up on the farm, he enjoyed riding his horse, Cookie, and racing around in his go-kart. Through the years, he enjoyed being with his family and friends, playing dice and card games, fast-pitch softball, bowling, hunting, boating, golfing and more recently canoeing and power parachuting. Anything for a "dare" or "bet" is what gave him his highs, along with the love he had for spending time with his family and friends, including antagonizing his son-in-law, Tony!

Doug loved to get involved in anything and everything he could. He was always ready to try new adventures. He enjoyed working hard and doing what he could to help others, especially his children and beloved mother in every way he could, often times before they even knew they needed help... he was there...with his million mile per hour attitude. He loved the challenge of flipping quarters for a pop when he brought the truck in from a run (even though his luck was a little weak in this area).

Doug was a people person and a giving man with a generous heart. He will be remembered for his upbeat and positive personality, his willingness to give of himself to others, and the father role he played in the lives of the children he cared so strongly for.